Deep fryers are commercially used by restaurants, institutional kitchens, and fast food establishments for cooking a variety of food products, such as french fries, fish, fried chicken, and the like. The food product is cooked by totally immersing it within a vat or tank that is filled with heated oil or shortening. The shortening may be heated using a flow of heated gas that is drawn through heat exchanger tubes located within the cooking vat. Food particles tend to accumulate at the bottom of the vat during use. After the vat is drained, a spray nozzle is used to project a sheet of shortening in order to rinse food particles from the bottom of the vat.
The vat bottom typically is formed with a crease or fold extending from the back to the front of the vat, providing a funneling effect and allowing the shortening to collect and flow to a drain centrally located in the bottom of the vat. This configuration of the vat bottom diverts the sheet of sprayed shortening, preventing shortening from reaching and cleaning all areas, e.g., the corners, of the vat bottom.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a vat bottom configuration for a deep fryer which reduces or wholly overcomes some or all of the difficulties inherent in prior known devices. Particular objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that is, those who are knowledgeable or experienced in this field of technology, in view of the following disclosure of the invention and detailed description of certain preferred embodiments.